There are times when you should just plunge in and follow your heart. You should just ask your overworked brain to take a break, because you are not going to listen to it.

So, when your sensible brain reminds you about the previous bread baking disasters and warns you not to risk the materials, time, effort, self-esteem and a lot more importantly, your precious (and already precarious) teeth, IGNORE it!

Go wild, face your fears, make friends with yeast because now you have a fool-proof recipe. It has baking powder, yogurt and an egg besides yeast, so chances of it failing is very very little. The best part is that it’s an universal dough. So its your bread dough, cinnamon roll dough, pizza dough or in my case focaccia dough, all in one!

I have already tried the 100% plain flour, 50-50 plain flour/whole wheat flour combination and 100% whole wheat flour version as well. Plain cheese pizza, veggie pizza and focaccia has all rolled out of the oven. The whole grain version is more chewy than the plain flour one, but we enjoyed both versions a lot.

Scroll down for the pictorial and go to the original recipe link to learn more about this dough.

Pictorial:

 

Mix the dry ingredients in a big bowl (flour, instant yeast, sugar, salt, baking powder).

 

Add warm milk, yogurt at room temperature and the egg. Mix everything to form a soft dough. If the dough is dry (which it will be, if you are using whole wheat), you need to add a bit more milk/water.

Knead to get a smooth dough.

 

Cover and refrigerate until needed. The dough keeps growing, so use a big bowl for storing. If you don’t want to refrigerate, you can wait for half an hour for the dough to double  and use.

 

For making focaccia, pre heat the oven to 350F/180C. Roll the dough out into oval shape. Make dimples all over and set aside and let it rest for at least 15-20 minutes until its puffed up a little.

 

Add olive oil in a small bowl. Toss in the herbs, chili flakes and crushed garlic. Set aside to let the flavors infuse. 

 

After twenty minutes, add the oil all over the bread and top with onions and tomatoes and cheese, if using. 

 

Bake for about 30 minutes (this time depends on the size of the bread – the bigger it is, more time it takes).

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Recipe source: Kitchen Nostalgia

Makes 2 medium thick pizzas/ 1 big focaccia

Ingredients:

• 3& 1/3 cups flour/ whole wheat flour
• 2 tsp instant yeast (If using active dry yeast, proof it and use it in the recipe)
• 1 tsp sugar
• 1.5 tsp baking powder
• 1.5 tsp salt
• 1/2 cup warm milk
• 3/4 cup yogurt, at room temperature
• 1 egg

For focaccia:

• 1 onion, thinly sliced
• 1 small firm tomato, sliced
• 2-3 garlic cloves, crushed and minced
• 2 tsp red chili flakes or per taste
• 1 tsp dried herbs( I used oregano)
• 3 tbsp olive oil
• 1/3 cup cheese, optional

Method:

1. You can do this by hand, food processor or a stand mixer.
2. Mix the dry ingredients first in a big bowl (flour, yeast*, sugar, salt, baking powder).
3. *If using active dry yeast, proof it with warm milk and sugar until bubbles form. Add along with the liquids.
4. Add warm milk, yogurt and the egg. Mix/knead everything to form a soft dough.
5. If the dough is dry (which it will be, if you are using whole wheat), you need to add a bit more milk/water.
6. Cover and refrigerate until needed.
7. If using immediately, shape the bread and let it rest for 20 min before baking. 

For making focaccia

1. I made the focaccia the next day.
2. Pre heat the oven to 350F/180C.
3. Add olive oil in a small bowl. Toss in the herbs, chili flakes and crushed garlic. Set aside to let the flavors infuse.
4. Roll the dough out into oval shape. Make dimples all over and set aside and let it rest for at least 15-20 minutes.
5. Slice the onions and tomatoes.
6. After twenty minutes, add the oil all over the bread and top with onions and tomatoes and cheese, if using.
7. Bake for about 30 minutes (this time depends on the size of the bread – the bigger it is, more time it takes).

This post is part of group blogging. It goes to Blogging Marathon, which focuses on baking for the whole of April. Check out the linky tool below to see the entry for Day 11 from other participating bloggers.